Frustrated? “No, I am not frustrated,” said Ridouan Taghi Friday afternoon in the heavily secured court in Osdorp. He is in ‘the Bunker’ for a witness interrogation in the investigation of his cousin and former lawyer Youssef Taghi. Youssef Taghi is suspected of being a member of a criminal organization that, together with Ridouan, is said to have plotted murder and escape and traded in drugs.
Ridouan Taghi recently prepared a written statement sent to the court by his lawyers. It is somewhat unusual, but the court uses the written record as a guide to the interrogation which is sensitive for several reasons. Ridouan Taghi does not know whether he will be prosecuted in this case and can therefore invoke his right of nondisclosure. He may refuse to answer questions from the judge.
The file of the criminal case also contains sons, sisters and uncles and aunts, of whom it is not known whether they can be regarded as suspects. That is why Taghi makes it clear that he is willing to answer questions, but will also invoke his right of nondisclosure as a witness if he can incriminate others. And that his voice should not be recorded to prevent others from using it to, in Taghi’s words: “make a song with it”.
Also read: on the arrest of Youssef Taghi
For example, at the actual start of the substantive criminal case against the absent Youssef Taghi, it becomes clear that this is a very sensitive family matter. Youssef’s lawyer has withdrawn all requests for further investigation. Why is unclear, but given the contents of the file it is far from inconceivable that the role of other family members could be discussed.
A monster
Before Taghi can begin, he must take the oath or promise. Because he is religious, he takes the oath. “I testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is his servant,” Taghi says, hands in the air. “So were God Almighty.” After this introduction, in conversation with the court president, he quickly comes to the core of his statement, which consists of two main arguments.
According to Ridouan Taghi, his rights have been severely restricted since his arrest. Moreover, according to his own words, he is portrayed as “a monster” by leaked reports to the media. Taghi is therefore not surprised by the statement by his cousin Youssef that he did not freely pass on information from his detained cousin to the outside world. “I can imagine that Youssef has experienced pressure. If I believe everything that is said about me in the media, I get scared too.”
Ridouan Taghi is clear about the communication between the Taghi cousins, who were admitted to the Extra Secure Institution (EBI) in Vught last year: “Escape without violence is not punishable,” he says. “I don’t think there is a single prisoner who doesn’t fantasize about that. But nothing has been planned, implemented, or done.” But if you are discussing plan a, b or c with Youssef, the chairman asks. “Then that sounds very concrete.” That is not the case, says Taghi. It’s all game.”
A game that, according to Taghi, revolves around deceiving and tricking the Public Prosecution Service. “They are restricting my rights and have been bugging me since I was incarcerated and leaking it to the media. I deliberately spread misinformation to show that.” That was part of the game, according to Taghi. “My rights are being violated and the laws don’t apply to me.”
He is sorry that Youssef fell victim to that. “Youssef is a nice, naive boy who has nothing to do with crime. He’s innocent. I asked him to be a media lawyer but now feel his life has been destroyed because of me. Youssef should be with his children.”
Most questions about the concrete messages between Ridouan and Youssef that include words like “navy seals” and “real action” Taghi dismisses as a game or he does not want to answer. “I understand your questions very well,” Taghi told the chairman at one point. Taghi can live with her observation that “the answers are sometimes very unsatisfactory.” “That’s right then.”
The substantive hearing of the case against Youssef Taghi will continue in December. According to his lawyer, he will be there and Youssef is willing to answer questions.